Customer Reviews

Gay Men and Anal Eroticism: Tops, Bottoms, and Versatiles

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Revealing! Honest! & Sexually Taboo! All of these twenty-one refreshingly candid interviews with gay men are about their sexual preferences and the reasons behind their choices. This is not a study about right or wrong when it comes to anal eroticism, but a study of what it means for gay men to be a Top, Bottom, or Versatile. The author interviews gay men in Boston and Provincetown. Each interview is like a coming out story, totally refreshing and honest. The information presented in the interviews is there for your individual interpretation, or merely for your reading enjoyment. That such a taboo subject is finally laid out in print in such an informal and intelligent manner is quite an achievement by Underwood and long overdue.

These interviews read more like short stories than gay study interviews as you get a history of each gay man's sexual experiences, and their opinions about anal eroticism. It is to the credit of the author that he does not get in the way by asking questions, but lets each man speak for himself and reveal his own personal history and beliefs. These are heart-felt confessions that will get you thinking, questioning and reviewing your own life. These are real people who talk honestly about their sexual lives, desires and obsessions.

This is a great book for any gay male who is just coming-out. It should be included in any gay curriculum or gay study group. It is an excellent overview of how all of these different gay men have dealt with coming out, their first sexual experiences, the reason for their sexual preferences, and how it has affected their lives. I wish this honest and helpful book had been available when I was first coming out. These are thoughtful, courageous, humorous, and touching interviews. Steven Underwood's excellent introduction says it all, and especially his statement, "that equality in man-to-man sex is as varied as the number of individuals who strive for it." That says it all. Highly Recommended!!!

Joe Hanssen

This was a very good read. When I bought it, I must say I thought it was something different. But I kept reading, and learned alot about myself in the process. It reads more like a philosphy kinda style as to why gay men are tops, bottoms, or both. I'm impressed.

this book had the chance to privide some interesting insights into the subject, covering ground that has been largely untread. instead, what we get is a litany of sexual histories for 20 or so men that the author has scrounged up from 2 east coast locales, with precious little insight as to their roles as tops or bottoms. curiously, several interviewees seem to be under the impression that they have responded to a sex ad and that their sex talk will be a prelude to an erotic encounter with the author. which would be fine if anyone had anything interesting to say beforehand.

the book's ending is as abrupt as it is welcome. there is no attempt to summarize and digest anything we've been told. in contrast to another reviewers comments, this is about the last book i would recommend to someone just coming out. i had hoped for an interesting but sleazy summer read. well, all i can say is that it wasn't too interesting.

Interviews with 23 gay men concerning the act of penetration and their "take" on defining the participants--male/female, submissive/dominating, etc. This is a serious exploration of the subject and certainly not titillating as some casual readers may suspect. There is, of course, a lot of duplication among the respondents so it may help to read sections a little at a time rather than at one sitting. Strangely, everyone seems to be looking for some "answer" that may not exist. No one actually says they select one position over another because it "feels good." A bit of curiosity that was better than I expected.

The way this book is put together, divided into interviews with bottoms, tops and versatiles is way helpful, compiles an entire body of information into one section so that one can absorb and get a sense of what makes each sub-group of Gay men tick. The author skillfully and succinctly encapsulates the identity of the man being interviewed, then goes on to chronicle their conversation, the personal theories of the men themselves as to why they are the way they are. Whether or not one agrees, it is a fascinating and enriching glimpse at other lives, other choices.

Some of the interviewees seemed remarkably together, intelligent, self-aware; others, less so. All, however, were interesting and many were quite entertaining. The gentleman originally from Switzerland who was interviewed had something to say about his and probably the Swiss' in general's perception of the average middle American which made me laugh aloud and which I have quoted several times subsequently to the amusement and enjoyment of many. He put into words what I've believed for years without having terminology to describe it.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book. It does not disclose any useful or pertinent information about methods, techniques, practices relating to anal eroticism and this perhaps should be made clearer to purchasers in some way; however, the content is highly readable, enjoyable, informative and satisfying.

In this book you get what you were expecting: a survey essay on the topic, rather than a scientific comprehensive talk about the topic.
Easy-going and well written, the topic is explored through several interviews. Light, amusing, but interesting to explore gay man's mind.
Within the variety of interviews, you are very likely to find your soul mate's view on the topic, where by reading the man's opinion you seem to be describing your feelings (my case being Rick Karp aka Cole Tucker).

I enjoyed this book sincerely, especially the detailed imagery on every page!!